Matthews looks sharp in return
NASHVILLE Auston Matthews made an observation on Thursday morning about how little space there is to manoeuvre during games in the final charge to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
“At this point of the season, things are always tight,” Matthews said, hours before returning from missing 10 games with a shoulder injury. “And there’s not a lot of room out there, so you have to find ways to be effective.”
The Leafs’ best player, playing for the first time since he was hurt on Feb. 22 against the New York Islanders, found a way to be effective at Bridgestone Arena.
Matthews scored a highlight reel goal in the second period as the Leafs put an end to the Nashville Predators’ impressive run, handing the Predators their first regulation loss in 16 games with a 5-2 victory.
Overall, the Leafs rebounded well after falling apart in Tampa on Tuesday when they coughed up a three-goal lead and lost.
There was no such meltdown against a Nashville team that had been enjoying a 14-0-1 run — and was atop the National Hockey League standings with 106 points.
Similar to Tuesday, the Leafs held a 3-1 lead entering the third period.
This time, Mitch Marner scored a power-play goal nine seconds in, and 3 1/2 minutes later, Jake Gardiner blasted a shot past Pekka Rinne to supply a four-goal cushion.
In short, the Leafs followed one of their toughest losses of the season with one of their most impressive triumphs.
Toronto has 44 wins. That’s one shy of the franchise record of 45, accomplished three times, most recently in 2003-04.
Matthews gave the Leafs a 2-1 lead at 15:06 of the second period and appeared to be in mid-season form in doing so. Or mid-Matthews form, which is better than anything the majority of NHL players have to offer.
Matthews didn’t score on his initial chance as he cut across in front of Rinne, but stuck with it and picked the puck out of several sets of skates.
Matthews was too quick for Rinne and shot the puck into the top of the net before the goalie could get back in position.
Matthews has scored in each of three games this season upon returning from injury.
Less than two minutes later, William Nylander lifted the pick over Rinne and the Leafs had a 3-1 lead.
Nashville scored its first goal, tying the game 1-1, when Viktor Arvidsson took a pass from P.K. Subban and scored on Frederik Andersen’s glove side. The Leafs were short-handed — Matthews was serving an interference penalty — and then were caught flatfooted when Subban intercepted a clearing attempt and found Arvidsson open.
The Predators came at the Leafs during the first period, but had nothing to show for it, registering just one shot on goal at even strength to the Leafs’ nine.
James van Riemsdyk is the last guy in the NHL who needed a lucky break, but he got one anyway to open the scoring at 4:03. In trying to get the puck to the front of the net, van Riemsdyk slipped it between his legs and it went into the net, either off Rinne or the stick of Predators captain Roman Josi.
It was van Riemsdyk’s 34th goal and eighth in five games, and came on the power play.
Marner counted an assist to give him 62 points, one more than he had as a rookie.
Getting both Matthews and Nikita Zaitsev back was key, of course, especially since the Leafs have eight games remaining before the playoffs start.
“I think it’s important these guys are in now,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said. “We still have a good opportunity for them to get in game shape, to understand what’s going on, to get their game going at a high-enough level that they can get help us.”
The Leafs will have the day off on Friday before playing host to the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday at the Air Canada Centre.